Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic enter the world's oceans, contributing to the growing crisis of marine plastic pollution. Yet most of this waste does not originate in the ocean itself. Instead, it starts on land. This is exactly where the Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) Standard comes in: plastic is collected before it can enter rivers and ultimately reach the sea.
Ocean Bound Plastic: Tackling Marine Plastic Pollution at the Source
An estimated 19 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans every year. Around 80% of this waste originates on land and is transported into the marine environment through rivers, coastal areas, or inadequate waste management systems.
The Ocean Bound Plastic approach aims to interrupt this process before it happens. Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) refers to plastic waste that is highly likely to reach the ocean if it is not collected in time. As such, the standard represents a preventive approach to reducing marine plastic pollution and addressing one of the root causes of ocean waste.
What Is Ocean Bound Plastic?
Ocean Bound Plastic refers to abandoned plastic waste located near waterways or coastlines, or in areas where effective waste management systems are lacking.
This includes both recyclable and non-recyclable plastics. Particular attention is given to waste generated in regions with insufficient waste infrastructure, as these materials have a high likelihood of entering the environment and ultimately the ocean.
Waste that is already disposed of in regulated and controlled landfills is not classified as Ocean Bound Plastic.
Categories of Ocean Bound Plastic
The Ocean Bound Plastic Standard divides plastic waste into four main categories:
Potential OBP: Plastic waste located within 50 km of a coastline.
Waterway OBP: Plastic waste found in rivers or within 200 metres of rivers and waterways.
Coastal OBP: Plastic waste located within 200 metres of a coastline.
Fishing Gear: Lost, abandoned, or discarded fishing nets and plastic fishing equipment.
This classification helps identify and target plastic that poses the greatest risk of entering the marine environment.
The Ocean Bound Plastic Standard: Certification for Transparency
The Ocean Bound Plastic Standard is a science-based certification framework that verifies plastic collection projects before waste reaches the ocean. Its purpose is to ensure that collected plastic genuinely originates from high-risk areas vulnerable to marine pollution.
For companies, the standard provides a transparent foundation for ESG reporting, sustainability communication, and the verification of environmental action.
Certification makes it possible to accurately document how much plastic has been collected and where it originated. This strengthens the credibility of sustainability initiatives while supporting the transition toward a circular economy for plastics.
Ocean Bound Plastic at everwave
everwave uses the Ocean Bound Plastic Standard to certify projects transparently and ensure that the impact of plastic collection activities can be measured and verified.
This guarantees that collected plastic originates from regions particularly affected by marine plastic pollution and at high risk of leaking waste into the ocean.
Currently, everwave's project sites in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville, Cambodia, are certified according to the Ocean Bound Plastic Standard. Certification is also planned for the projects in Albania.
By applying the standard, it is possible to precisely track how much Ocean Bound Plastic has been collected and to quantify each project's contribution to reducing marine plastic pollution.
Conclusion: Ocean Bound Plastic as a Key to Reducing Marine Plastic Pollution
The Ocean Bound Plastic Standard focuses on where the greatest impact can be achieved: at the source of pollution. Rather than addressing only the symptoms in the ocean, plastic waste is intercepted on land and in river systems before it can reach marine ecosystems.
As a result, OBP plays a crucial role in advancing environmental sustainability, supporting circular economy solutions, and creating measurable reductions in ocean plastic pollution.
Learn more about the Ocean Bound Plastic Standard here:
Ocean Bound Plastic Certification